Boys lost two close games

The Eagles Varsity baseball team played a double header against the Mazama Vikings April 16 at The Yard. Assistant coach Jim Meerten said the boys were “competitive the whole way through.” But, the Eagles lost both games by a single run each time. The final scores were 9-10 and 3-4.

Eagle Point took an early lead in the first game. They did not allow Mazama to score in the first inning. Some aggressive base running and a hit to center field by Austin Fosenburg put the Eagles ahead by two runs before the start of the second inning.

The advantage was not kept for long, however. Mazama brought in four runs through eight batters in the second and scored two more in the third. In the fourth inning, Ben Zomerdyk struck out the first three Mazama batters to keep their score where it was. Zomerdyk then hit a RBI double and managed to steal home before the inning ended. Mazama hit a devastating home run in the fifth with two Vikings on base, and another home run in the sixth which made the score 4-10 in their favor.

Here began a valiant comeback for the Eagles that fell barely short in the end. With some more tactical base running, they scored three runs with six batters in the sixth. Eagle Point had the bases loaded on their third batter in the seventh and kept them loaded for the rest of the inning. They were able to claim two more runs before a Mazama infielder tagged third base for the last out.

The second game was a close one as well. Coach Meerten described Tyler Atler’s pitching as his best performance of the year saying, “every time he throws he’s getting better.” Eagle Point scored a run in the first and another in the third when Brandon Wilson stole home. Mazama did not score until the fifth inning when two of their runners came home on a hit to left field. Also in the fifth, the umpire moved an EP runner from second to third base on an obstruction call. This runner then made it home on a hit from Daniel Morgan, giving the Eagles a 3-2 lead at the top of the sixth.

But Mazama quickly took the lead back with two runs in the sixth, and despite the Eagles’ efforts the score did not change for the rest of the game. Meerten said the number of errors will find him focusing the team on defense. Both games ended with the Eagles’ tying run leading off from third base, so it might be said that they were less than ninety feet away from possible victory.By Michael StephensOf the Independent